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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24185005">Pristine Skin</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/writing_in_the_dark/pseuds/cultivationtrash'>cultivationtrash (writing_in_the_dark)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Gintama</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Tattoo Parlor, Alternate Universe - Yakuza, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 23:54:25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,398</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24185005</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/writing_in_the_dark/pseuds/cultivationtrash</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sakata goes to tattoo artist Hijikata for his first yakuza tattoo.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hijikata Toshirou/Sakata Gintoki</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>61</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Pristine Skin</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for GinHiji Week 2020 Day 1 - Mafia AU.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p class="Erindefault">“Good afternoon, Hijikata-san. This is Sakata, the guy I told you about last time. He’s been working his way up in the family, running several successful business ventures, and he’s ready for his first tattoo.”</p><p class="Erindefault">Hijikata nodded and entered his parlor’s private room.</p><p class="Erindefault">Sakata followed, leaving his companion behind, and slid the door shut behind himself.</p><p class="Erindefault">Hijikata looked his slack-faced, dull-eyed, business-suit-clad client over and questioned, “Are you ready for this, Sakata-san? Do you understand what’s involved in irezumi?”</p><p class="Erindefault">“Yeah, I’ve been told it takes forever, is expensive as fuck, and hurts like a bitch.”</p><p class="Erindefault">It seemed the client understood, so Hijikata asked, “Did you have a design in mind?”</p><p class="Erindefault">“Uh, yeah… Here…” Sakata pulled a folded-up piece of paper from his inner breast pocket and handed it to Hijikata.</p><p class="Erindefault">Hijikata unfolded the paper and studied the artwork. The imposing face of a white demon featured prominently, with a water serpent coiling around it, surrounded by various flowers. He imagined what it would take to make it the right size and shape to cover the entire back, from the shoulders down to the thighs. The artwork was beautiful, and he was honored to permanently etch it onto a human body. He looked up at Sakata and said, “I’ll need to sketch it out in washable marker, to get an idea of the scale and make sure it’ll fit your body. Please disrobe and lie on your stomach on the tatami.”</p><p class="Erindefault">Hijikata looked away while Sakata disrobed and laid down. He then sat on the floor next to him. He didn’t move for a minute because he was struck by the gorgeous, pristine white skin. He knew from looking at Sakata’s face that he was unusually light skinned, but seeing such a large swath of it drove the point home. He had always thought tattoos are beautiful, but for the first time ever in his career as an irezumi artist, he felt a tattoo would only cover up the natural beauty beneath it.</p><p class="Erindefault">Sakata propped himself up on his elbows and looked curiously at Hijikata. With a grin, he asked, “Is everything ok?”</p><p class="Erindefault">Hijikata hastily nodded and said, “Please lie back down.”</p><p class="Erindefault">He then began outlining the major components of the artwork, and they talked idly while he worked. Sakata was surprised to hear that Hijikata used to be a policeman, and Hijikata was surprised to hear that Sakata used to be a solider.</p><p class="Erindefault">While Hijikata noted that the artwork was indeed a perfect fit for Sakata’s back, he also noted that the more he touched the skin and spoke with the skin’s owner, the less he wanted to do the tattoo, and not just because it would taint the skin’s beauty. They had a lot in common. They had both been unwittingly dragged into organized crime, when all they had ever really wanted was to make sure the people they cared about could live peacefully. He wished he could take Sakata away from the yakuza. He wished he could touch Sakata’s skin, without ruining it with ink.</p><p class="Erindefault">Hijikata finished and said, “All right; I’m done. I’m afraid the marker will bleed into your clothes if you get dressed right now. Would you like me to wash it off? It should come off with just a little soapy water and a washcloth.”</p><p class="Erindefault">“Yes, please,” Sakata answered.</p><p class="Erindefault">In a minute, Hijikata returned and began cleaning him.</p><p class="Erindefault">Sakata felt creeping onto his cheeks a blush that he didn’t understand. It wasn’t as if he was a virgin. He had been with plenty of women, but none of them had touched him so gently. None of them were so easy to talk to. Frankly, none of them were as attractive as Hijikata, with his good-looking face, fit body, and touchable-looking long hair.</p><p class="Erindefault">He could tell the former cop hated that he had become tangentially affiliated with the yakuza, his artistic gifts relegated to marking thugs with signs of lawlessness. He wished he could take him somewhere far away and give him the peaceful life he wanted.</p><p class="Erindefault">“There you go,” Hijikata said, dabbing the last of the water from Sakata’s back. “Are you able to come back tomorrow to start the process? I’m available in the evening, around eight.”</p><p class="Erindefault">“Yeah.”</p><p class="Erindefault">Hijikata turned away again as Sakata put his clothes back on.</p><p class="Erindefault">“Thank you, Hijikata-san,” said Sakata as he walked out the door, “See you tomorrow night.”</p><p class="Erindefault">------------------------</p><p class="Erindefault">Hijikata turned away while Sakata disrobed and laid down on the tatami, and he sat down next to him. He took his time arranging all his implements on the floor next to him, dragging out the process as a way of delaying tarnishing the perfect skin in front of him.</p><p class="Erindefault">“Sakata-san…” he started hesitantly, but he immediately stopped himself. His mind was full of bad ideas. He knew he shouldn’t act on them. He knew he should do his damn job and keep his damn mouth shut. To do anything else would invite the wrath of a powerful yakuza family.</p><p class="Erindefault">Sakata propped himself up on his elbows and looked at Hijikata. When he saw the conflict on his face, he became worried. He sat up entirely, exposing the front of his nude body, and unconsciously reached a hand out and touched Hijikata’s face. “Hijikata-san, what’s wrong?”</p><p class="Erindefault">Hijikata’s fearful eyes locked with Sakata’s concerned eyes. Hijikata was terrified that he had fallen in love at first sight. The emotion was overwhelming, and it was wrecking his judgment. There would be no way he could do Sakata’s tattoo, touching him, seeing his flesh laid bare, talking to him, and being near him, without losing control. He had only one chance of getting out of this without doing or saying something that might get him killed. He put a hand over Sakata’s and pulled the pale, gentle hand off his face. Reluctantly, he said, “I apologize for wasting your time. You should get someone else to do your tattoo.”</p><p class="Erindefault">Confused, Sakata frowned. “But… I want you.” He could have ended the sentence there, and it still would have been true, but he continued, “I want you to do the tattoo.”</p><p class="Erindefault">Hijikata bit his lip nervously. There were emotional sparks between him and Sakata like none he had ever felt before. He was being tempted beyond his limit. Before he could stop it from happening, words gushed from his lips: “Run away with me.” He gasped and tried to stuff the words back in his mouth, rapidly recanting, “Shit, shit, shit, no, no, I, I didn’t mean it…”</p><p class="Erindefault">He was stunned by the response.</p><p class="Erindefault">Sakata came up onto his knees and hugged him, running fingers through his hair and whispering, “Yes. Let’s run away.”</p><p class="Erindefault">Hijikata didn’t move. He dared not breathe for fear he might break the magic of the waking dream he was sure he was having.</p><p class="Erindefault">Sakata broke the hug and looked Hijikata in the eyes. Quietly, he restated, “Let’s go. Right now.”</p><p class="Erindefault">Hijikata let out a tense breath at the realization that this might really be happening. In disbelief, he searched Sakata’s eyes for signs of untruth and whispered, “Are you serious? Are you sure?”</p><p class="Erindefault">Smiling, Sakata reached for Hijikata’s face again. With a hand on either side, he said, “Yeah. I’m serious.”</p><p class="Erindefault">Hijikata mirrored the touch and upped the ante, leaning in for a kiss. Lips touched softly, and then mouths opened, and their tongues embraced with passionate, scorching heat.</p><p class="Erindefault">A minute later, Sakata broke the kiss to give his solemn affirmation, “I’m completely serious. Please, let me take you away from here. Let’s leave right now. We can start over somewhere far away.”</p><p class="Erindefault">The sentiment finally pulled a smile from Hijikata. He nodded, and they did exactly as they said. Sakata’s clothes were too obviously those of a yakuza, so he borrowed nondescript street clothes from Hijikata. They set out with just the clothes on their backs and minimal belongings packed in two backpacks. Leaving all their worldly possessions behind, they started their lives fresh in a faraway land.</p><p class="Erindefault">------------------------</p><p class="Erindefault">For years, that yakuza family searched for its up-and-coming star member and its preferred irezumi artist, to no avail.</p><p class="Erindefault">------------------------</p><p class="Erindefault">On the other side of the country, in a quaint shack with a vegetable garden, two men happily lived out their lives as lovers. They earned a living doing odd jobs. They went only by their given names – Toushirou and Gintoki – and they never spoke of the past.</p>
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